Greetings from supply chain!

Firstly I must apologise, it’s been some time since my last post here on My RB Opportunity.
The supply chain organisation is incredibly fast moving, and it has been especially hectic over the past two months to say the least. Let me explain…

In September I completed my second RB graduate scheme placement  in technical projects on the UK Hull site. The placement went very well, while teaching me how to successfully manage numerous projects at once; ultimately giving me a great deal of confidence in my own ability.

I then transferred to Nottingham to begin my final graduate placement as an ATL (Area Team Leader), managing a production team in the Strepsils department. This meant learning a lot of new skills in a very short period of time; as with the right fundamental knowledge most situations can be approached in the correct way.
I was also taking on management of a team, which proved very rewarding.
It’s a fantastic feeling to be working and know that other work is simultaneously taking place under your direction. In summary the assignment was going very well, however around 1 month ago I was asked to come back to Hull to support work on a priority project.

The culture at RB inspires commitment, and supporting the business has become my priority. As a result I came back to Hull and drove the project, meaning once other departmental work is complete it can be taken live.

I was due to return back to Nottingham upon completion of the work; however I have recently been asked to take up a position in Hull as an ATL, and will be starting in the liquids department in the next few days.
The production facility I will be managing produces Gaviscon, Nurofen for Children and E45, along with others such as Lemsip and Senokot.

The Hull department is currently undergoing structural changes to support the recent volume increase and hence improve efficiency. Fortunately with so many factories globally, it’s easy to see there is always resource available for support.

 
I am greatly looking forward to making a difference at the Hull factory.

To support my development in the role, I recently completed numerous training courses in management excellence. In addition I also attended an influencing skills course which was especially good.
The trainer was very knowledgeable, and I would liken it to being taught by Derren Brown  (an English “magician” who is best known for his power of suggestion).
The courses covered everything from body language and questioning styles to written influencing. It piqued my curiosity in the subject and is something I will continue to research (fortunately we were provided with a comprehensive training guide upon completion which makes for interesting reading!).

Two key learning’s I now use on a daily basis are:
1. To ask myself when approaching a situation: “what do I want to achieve”. This gives me a clear objective to work towards in a presentation/meeting/conversation.

2. If there is ever a problem, to focus my energy on turning it into a positive. Fortunately I have now begun to do this naturally, making situations much easier to deal with in a controlled manner.

I will hopefully be able to post another update on my experiences in the new role soon, as I’m positive it will be a highlight of the scheme.